Writing for Reading Research Quarterly

Articles. RRQ welcomes submission of research-oriented manuscripts that make significant contributions to advancing knowledge and understanding of reading and of literacy, broadly defined. Articles published in RRQ are primarily reports of original, rigorously conducted research employing diverse epistemologies, methodologies, methods, and disciplinary perspectives. Other appropriate research-oriented articles include essays concerning new theoretical or methodological perspectives, comprehensive syntheses of research toward developing new understandings, and scholarly analyses of trends and issues in the field. Pilot studies, and other research efforts of limited scope or duration, are not typically considered for publication.

Letters to the editors. RRQ accepts submission of letters commenting on the theoretical and methodological issues raised in recent RRQ articles. Letters should make a significant contribution to advancing the field’s knowledge and understanding of reading and of literacy. They undergo a process of rigorous review similar to that of typical manuscript submissions. Publication of such letters is subject to availability of space and the discretion of the editors.

Style and format. All submissions must be prepared as electronic files for uploading to Manuscript Central, our online manuscript tracking system. Submissions must follow “APA style,” as outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout in a 12-point font, including quotations and references. Headings and subheadings should be liberally and correctly used to indicate the organization of the manuscript.

Prepare the manuscript files in accordance with these guidelines:

• Cover letter, including your name and affiliation (as you would have them published) and your mailing and e-mail addresses. Any coauthors should be listed in preferred order with name, affiliation, and contact information. If acknowledgment is to be given for research grants, it should appear as a separate note at the bottom of your cover letter.
• Abstract of no more than 250 words. The abstract should be written as clearly as possible in adherence to APA style and should avoid long, complicated sentences and jargon. The editors maintain the right to edit and revise abstracts, as needed, to communicate to a broad scholarly readership.
• One blinded copy of the manuscript in Word format, to be uploaded as the primary “Manuscript File.” To prepare this version, remove all author names and affiliations from the bylines, and replace references to your own and to coauthors’ published works simply with “Author(s), (year)” both in text and in reference list.
• One unblinded copy of the manuscript in Word format, to be uploaded as a “Supplementary File.”
• Graphics, such as charts, tables, and photographs (when appropriate), are acceptable and should be uploaded as .tif or .jpg files. Such material must make a significant contribution to the clarity of presentation. These files should be given appropriate designation (table, figure, image).
• Supplementary material to appear solely in the online version of the journal. This can preserve space in the print publication. The editors also welcome submissions that employ innovative digital presentations of content, especially those that buttress the warrant for the claims made in the manuscript.

Other considerations.

• Disclosure. In accordance with APA guidelines, RRQ requires that all authors provide “notice of any interests that might be seen as influencing the research.” Detailed editorial guidelines concerning conflict of interest (as outlined in vol. 39, issue 1, of the journal) are available.
• Copyright and permissions. Permission must be obtained to use any material from another copyrighted source, whether published or unpublished. Releases must also be obtained for use of any person’s work or likeness. Please note that IRB documentation, which focuses on obtaining informed consent by research participants, is frequently not sufficient for the purposes of publication of data that include work created by those participants. Refer to the copyright information for more details on requirements.
• Multiple submissions. Manuscripts submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere, including on the Web, are not considered. Authors must inform the editor at the time of submission of similar/related versions of the manuscript that have appeared or are being considered elsewhere.

All article and teaching tips manuscripts must be submitted online through IRA’s Manuscript Central tracking system.

• Go to the Manuscript Central site
• Create an account (if you haven’t done so already)
• Log in to your account with your username and password, and select the appropriate publication from the drop-down "journal" menu
• Click the Author Center link
• Click on the blue star and follow the instructions provided
• A confirmation e-mail will acknowledge our receipt of your manuscript

You can follow the progress of your manuscript by accessing your Author Center.

Manuscripts are initially screened by the editors. Manuscripts that are clearly inappropriate for RRQ, or that deviate in form and style from the instructions for authors, will not be considered for review. You will receive an explanation of why they have not been sent out for review.

Manuscripts that are deemed appropriate will be anonymously reviewed by at least three qualified members of the editorial review board. Occasionally, at the discretion of the editors, one or more reviewers for a particular manuscript may be a guest reviewer. In addition, all manuscripts are read by both editors prior to a final decision about acceptance.

Manuscripts are judged on the basis of their appropriateness for RRQ, potential contribution to the field, theoretical soundness, scholarly and methodological rigor, and quality of presentation. Manuscripts accepted for publication typically undergo more than one round of review, and authors are frequently required to revise their original submission to address reviewers’ suggestions and concerns.

Authors of accepted manuscripts are required to assign their copyright to IRA so that the Association can register copyright to the journal as a whole and administer requests for reuse. (Authors are invited to read IRA's rights and permissions policies, which do not restrict authors' own reuse of their work.)

Accepted articles are edited to meet IRA style guidelines. Page proofs are sent to the author for final approval approximately six weeks prior to publication. Authors who do not subscribe to the journal can request a complimentary copy of the published issue in which their article appears.